13

Principles of Separation

¹On that day ⚓they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written ⚓that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, ²because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but ⚓hired Balaam against them to curse them. ⚓However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³So it was, when they had heard the Law, ⚓that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

The Reforms of Nehemiah

⁴Now before this, ⚓Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with ⚓Tobiah. ⁵And he had prepared for him a large room, ⚓where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, ⚓which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests. ⁶But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, ⚓for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, ⁷and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in ⚓preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. ⁸And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. ⁹Then I commanded them to ⚓cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.
¹⁰I also realized that the portions for the Levites had ⚓not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to ⚓his field. ¹¹So ⚓I contended with the rulers, and said, ⚓“Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place. ¹²⚓Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. ¹³⚓And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered ⚓faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.
¹⁴⚓Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!
¹⁵In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses ⚓on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, ⚓which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. ¹⁶Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
¹⁷Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? ¹⁸⚓Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
¹⁹So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it ⚓began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. ⚓Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. ²⁰Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
²¹Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. ²²And I commanded the Levites that ⚓they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!
²³In those days I also saw Jews who⚓had married women of ⚓Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. ²⁴And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.
²⁵So I ⚓contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them ⚓swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. ²⁶⚓Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, ⚓who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. ⚓Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. ²⁷Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, ⚓transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?”
²⁸And one of the sons ⚓of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of ⚓Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.
²⁹⚓Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and ⚓the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
³⁰⚓Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also ⚓assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, ³¹and to bringing⚓the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times.
⚓Remember me, O my God, for good!

13

Y-Nêhêmi Ƀư Nau Tâm Rgâl

¹Tâm nar nây, bu rŏ ndrom sămƀŭt Y-Môis ăn phung ƀon lan iăt; tâm nây geh chih phung Amôn jêh ri phung Môap ƀa ƀơ n'ho ro mâu dơi lăp ôh tâm nau tâm rƀŭn Brah Ndu; ²yorlah khân păng mâu vơt ôh phung kon Israel ma piăng let jêh ri dak, ƀiălah sŏk prăk nkhôm nsônh Balam văch rak rtăp ma khân ôbăl.. ƀiălah Brah Ndu he rlơ̆ nau rak rtăp nây jêng du nau mŏt ton. ³Tơlah phung ƀon lan hŏ tăng jêh nau vay nây, khân păng tâm rnglah lơi lĕ phung bu năch bơh phung Israel.
⁴Pônây, ê lor ma nau nây, Y-Êliasip, kôranh ƀư brah, bu hŏ dơm ăn păng mât uănh lĕ jrô ngih Brah Ndu he, ⁵jêh ri jêng ndŭl mpôl Y-Tôbia, geh nkra jêh ăn păng du jrô toyh, ta ntŭk nây ntơm saơm bu dŏng gay prăp ndơ nhhơr piăng let ranih, ndơ ƀâu kah, khăl ngan, jêh ri dak play ôlivơ, ndơ bu hŏ ăn rơm ơm jêh ma phung Lêvi, ma phung mprơ, jêh ri ma phung gak njrăng mpông pêr, jêh ri ndơ nhhơr ma phung kôranh ƀư brah. ⁶Tơlah lĕ nau tât nây, gâp mâu geh gŭ ôh ta ƀon Yêrusalem; yorlah di năm rơh pe jê̆t ma bar rô̆ Y-Artasersês, hađăch Babilôn, gâp geh gŭ ndrel ma hađăch; jŏ djê̆ pakơi nây gâp dăn gĭt rlu tă bơh hađăch, gay ŭch hăn. ⁷Gâp plơ̆ văch tât ta ƀon Yêrusalem, jêh ri rnôk nây gâp saơ nau mhĭk Y-Êliasip ƀư yor Y-Tôbia hŏ ƀư jêh, yorlah geh nkra ăn păng du mlâm jrô tâm nkual nhuang ngih brah, ngih Brah Ndu. ⁸Pônây, gâp đă bu rơih lơi sưng rnơl Y-Tôbia tâm jrô nây, jêh ri ƀư ăn kloh lơi lĕ; ⁹jêh ta nây gâp djôt leo nglăp đŏng khăl ngan ndơ dŏng ngih brah Ngih Brah Ndu, ndơ nhhơr piăng let ranih, ndơ ƀâu kah.
¹⁰Gâp lĕ gĭt tâm ban lĕ, bu mâu ăn ôh ndơ hŏ rơm ơm jêh prăp ăn ma phung Lêvi; yor nây, phung kâp mprơ jêh ri phung Lêvi gŭ pah kan, ăp nơm hŏ du sĭt da dê jêh rlet ma mir khân păng nơm. ¹¹Gâp geh nduyh phung kôranh yor nau nây, jêh ri lah: "Moh nau yor dĭng bu chalơi ngih Brah Ndu pô nây?"
Yor nây, gâp rgum tâm rƀŭn ndrel tay khân păng, jêh ri dơm khân păng plơ̆ pah kan ơm khân păng. ¹²Rnôk nây, lĕ rngôch phung Yuda djôt leo du kô̆ tâm jê̆t ƀiălah, play kriăk ƀâu, jêh ri dak play ôlivơ leo tâm vâl prăp ndơ. ¹³Pônây, gâp dơm ăn phung mât uănh drăp ndơ tâm jrô prăp drăp ndơ: Y-Sêlêmia, kôranh ƀư brah; Y-Sadôk, kôranh chih sămƀŭt; jêh ri Y-Pêdaya, tâm phung Lêvi, bi ma Y-Hanan, kon bu klâu Y-Sakur, sau Y-Matania, kâp kơl; lĕ phung nây bu kơp khân păng jêng răp jăp, jêh ri kan khân păng pah jêng tâm pă ndơ ăn ma phung oh nâu khân păng.
¹⁴Hơi Brah Ndu Kôranh Brah gâp! Yor ma nau aơ kah gĭt an ma gâp, jêh ri lơi ta jut lĕ kan ueh gâp hŏ ƀư jêh yor ngih brah Brah Ndu gâp jêh ri ma kan păng hôm prăp ta nây.
¹⁵Tâm rnôk nây, gâp saơ tâm phung Yuda, geh bunuyh kĭn play kriăk ƀâu ntŭk bu kret ndrănh tâm nar Sabat, jêh ri geh bunuyh rdeng ba kalơ seh, nđâp ma play kriăk ƀâu, play rvi, jêh ri ăp ntil ndơ jâk, leo rlet ma ƀon Yêrusalem tâm nar sabat. Ta nar khân păng leo ndô ndơ nây, gâp mbơh ăn khân păng njrăng. ¹⁶Geh lĕ phung bunuyh ƀon Tyr gŭ ta nây, djôt leo ka jêh ri ăp ntil ndơ tăch ma phung Yuda jêh ri ta ƀon Yêrusalem tâm nar Sabat. ¹⁷Rnôk nây, gâp nduyh lah ma phung ndrŏng, tâm phung Yuda, pôaơ: "Moh nau khân may ƀư mhĭk aơ, ƀư ƀơ̆ nar Sabat? ¹⁸Nâm bu nây lĕ, chô yau khân may kăl e hŏ ƀư ƀư jêh, mâu hĕ Brah Ndu he ăn tât jêh lĕ nau mhĭk nây ma he, jêh ri ma ƀon Yêrusalem? Ƀiălah khân may hôm e ƀư ƀơ̆ đŏng nar sabat gay ntop tay lơ hâu nau ji nuih tât ma phung Israel!
¹⁹Yor nau nây, tơlah mpông pêr ƀon Yêrusalem ntơm jêng ngo klĕng jêh lor panăp ma nar Sabat, yor ri gâp đă bu ntĭl lơi mpông, jêh ri ntĭnh mâu ăn bu pơk ôh, kŏ tât lôch nar Sabat. Gâp dơm ƀa ƀă tâm phung oh mon gâp mât njrăng mpông pêr; gay lơi ăn bu leo nglăp ndơ jâk ôh ta nar Sabat. ²⁰Pôri, phung tăch rgâl plơ̆ sĭt, plơ̆ hăn bar pe tơ̆ du măng bêch padih pêr ƀon Yêrusalem. ²¹Yor nây gâp nduyh, lah ma khân păng: "Mâm ƀư khân may bêch măng panăp pêr? Tơlah khân may sŏl ƀư đŏng, gâp mra nhŭp khân may ". Ntơm bơh nar nây khân păng mâu hôm hăn ôh tâm nar Sabat. ²²Gâp nti ntĭnh ma phung Lêvi ăn khân păng ƀư kloh lơi khân păng nơm, jêh ri hăn văch gak njrăng mpông pêr, gay prăp ma nar Sabat jêng nar kloh ueh. Hơi Brah Ndu, Kôranh Brah gâp! Dăn kah gĭt hom ma gâp yor nau nây, jêh ri dăn may yô̆ klâng an gâp tĭng nâm nau may rŏng jêng toyh ngăn.
²³Tâm ban lĕ, rnôk nây gâp saơ phung Yuda gŭ ur đah bu ur Asdôt, Amôn, jêh ri Môap. ²⁴Du n'gul phung khân păng ngơi nau phung Asdôt, jêh ri khân păng mâu blau ngơi nau phung Yuda, ƀiălah ngơi tĭng nau ŭch, nau ngơi ntil mpôl aơ mâu lah nau ngơi ntil mpôl ri. ²⁵Gâp nduyh lah khân păng, rak rtăp khân păng, gâp rpăt mbang bar pe nuyh tâm phung khân păng, mphâk chhŏk (sŏk) khân păng; jêh ri ăn khân păng sơm săk kanŏng ma amoh Brah Ndu, lah: "Khân may mâu mra mbloh văng ôh kon druh khân may đah kon ndăm khân păng, mâu lah nđăp nsông kon bu ur druh khân păng đah kon bu klâu ndăm khân may, mâu lah ma săk jăn khân may nơm! ²⁶Y-Salômôn, hađăch phung Israel, păng hŏ ƀư tih lĕ tâm nau nây? Pôri, tâm ntil mpôl bunuyh, mâu geh ôh du huê hađăch nâm bu păng; păng jêng nơm Brah Ndu rŏng, jêh ri Brah Ndu ăn păng jêng hađăch ma lĕ rngôch phung Israel. Nđâp tơlah, păng jêng nâm bu pônây, păng hŏ tô̆p lâm jêh yor ma bu ur phung bu năch nsak ăn păng ƀư tih! ²⁷Pôri, khân may lah hên mâu gĭt nau khân may ƀư lĕ nau mhĭk toyh ngăn aơ, geh lĕ khân may sŏk bu ur phung bu năch ƀư rlăng ma Brah Ndu he?" ²⁸Geh du huê tâm phung kon bu klâu Y-Jêhôada, sau Y-Êliasip, kôranh ƀư brah toyh, jêng klay Y-Sanbalat, phung Hôrôn; yor nau nây gâp mprơh nsot păng du tă bơh gâp. ²⁹Hơi Brah Ndu, Kôranh Brah gâp! Dăn may kah gĭt hom ma khân păng, yorlah khân păng hŏ ƀư ƀơ̆ ƀơch nau kan jêng kôranh ƀư brah jêh ri nau tâm rnglăp nau kan jêng kôranh ƀư brah jêh ri ma phung Lêvi.
³⁰Yor nây yơh, gâp ƀư ăn kloh lơi khân păng tă bơh ăp ntil nau bơh phung bunăch, jêh ri gâp dơm kan ăn ma phung kôranh ƀư brah, jêh ri ma phung Lêvi, ăp nơm tâm kan păng nơm. ³¹Jêh ri ta mông nar gâp tâm nal gay ma phung ƀon lan nhhơr long jêh ri play bôk rah.
Hơi Brah Ndu, Kôranh Brah gâp! Dăn may kah gĭt hom ma gâp, ăn nau ueh ma gâp!